River sweeps Baton Rouge

Press Release Archive

POPLARVILLE Pearl River Wildcats swept Baton Rouge (La.) here Saturday, taking 3-2 and 11-4 victories to improve to 8-2 overall. BRCC dropped to 11-7. In the first game, things were scoreless until the bottom of the second when The River went up 2-0. Designated hitter Chase Toussaint of Poplarville High drew a two-out walk before Aaron Lee of Pearl River Central High singled to left field. Jordan Williams out of Christian County High in Hopkinsville, Ky., walked to load the bases, setting the stage for a two-run single by Grae Ormon of Clinton High. Bear starter Jordan Calandro then struck out Matthew Magee of Petal High to end the inning. After Baton Rouge went three up, three down in the third; the Wildcats had runners at first and second with one out before Chase Lewallen of Sumrall High hit into a double play to end the inning. The Bears tied it up in the top of the fourth when Jesse Burrant cracked a two-out, up-the-middle single and A.C. Lowarnce followed with a two-run homer over the left center field fence. Pearl River loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame when Lee was hit by a pitch, Williams walked, and Ormon singled. Magee grounded out to the pitcher, then James Abraham, a Southeastern Louisiana transfer who prepped at St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis, grounded to third to end the inning. Jordy Landeche relieved Calandro in the bottom of the fifth and gave up the game-winning run. He belted lead off batter B.J. Smith of Sumrall High with a pitch, then Smith stole second and third, setting the stage for Lewallen RBI single down the third-base line. Landeche exited the mound for Cole Vanderlick at that point. Ethan Ewoldt of Oak Grove High flew out to right field, then Lewallen was thrown out at second on an attempted steal to end the inning. The Wildcats put two on in the sixth off a two-out blooper single to center by Ormon and a Magee walk, but they were left stranded when Abraham grounded out to second reliever Galen Johnson. A.C. Lowrance led off the top of the seventh with a base hits, moved to second on Josh Perez sacrifice bunt, but Cade LeBlanc and T.J. Trantham both flew out to center to end the game. Southeastern Louisiana signee Buck Bernard (2-0) of Petal High got the win in going the distance, giving up four hits and striking out six. Landeche got the loss in his one-third of an inning on the mound, giving up a hit, striking out one, and hitting a batter; while starter Calandro went four innings, striking out three, walking four, and hitting two batters. Vanderlick struck out one and walked one in is one-and-one-third innings of relief. Lowrance homered and singled (two RBIs) for the Bears, while Burrat and Trantham both had base hits. Ormon paced the Wildcats seven-hit effort with three singles (two RBIs), while Casey Comfort of Oak Grove High, Lee, Lewallen (one RBI), and Smith all had base hits. Both teams played error-free. In the second game, Williams led off the bottom of the first with a double to right, stole third, and scored off Ormon single to center. After Magee reached on a fielder choice, he stole second, and scored a double to left field by Abraham, who was thrown out at third on an attempted steal before Comfort struck out to end the inning. BRCC tied it up in the top of the third when Bryce Sibille smacked a two-out double to left field and scored off Lee Elisar ensuing single. LeBlanc followed with a walk before Burrat singled in Elisar to make it 2-2. In the top of the fourth, lead off Jami Rachel was hit by a pitch, then Perez outran a bunt to first.. The duo moved to second and third off Dillon Morin sac bunt, then Grant Autherment reached on a fielder choice when Rachel was thrown out at home. Blaine Posey singled in the go-ahead run to make it 3-2 before Sibille walked to load the bases and starter Robert Marzoni of Purvis High struck out Elisar to squash the threat. The Wildcats answered in the bottom of the frame. Abraham drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a wild pick off throw. Comfort double to left tied it up at 3-3, then Lewallen reached on an error, scoring Comfort to make it 4-3 PRCC before Lee hit into a double play to end the inning. Smith led off with a single in the bottom of the fifth, then Ewoldt walked. The two moved to second and third off Williams sacrifice bunt and Smith scored off Ormon single to left. Magee reached on a fielder choice, scoring Ewoldt, then Abraham doubled, pushing a seventh Wildcat run home. Bear starter Austin Young left the mound at that point for Josh Craft, who immediately gave up an RBI single to Comfort to make it 8-3 before Comfort was thrown out at second to end the inning. Baton Rouge scored its final run in the sixth off three singles by Autherment, Sibille, and Elisar. With runners at first and second, Marzoni exited the mound for Bond who struck out LeBlanc for the final out. But Pearl River wasnt through just yet. Lewallen led off the bottom of the inning with a single, Lee walked, and Smith bunted Lewallen home. A strike out later, Williams singled in Lee before Ormon base on balls loaded the bases. Magee then reached on a fielder choice, scoring courtesy runner Toussaint to make it 11-4. After Craft walked Abraham to reload the bases, Derrick Savoy arrived in the relief and Comfort flew out to right to end the inning. Baton Rouge went three up, three down in the top of the seventh to end the game. Marzoni got the win in his five-and-two-thirds innings of duty, giving up 12 hits, striking out five, walking two, and hitting a batter; while Bond had two strike outs. Young got the loss in his four-and-two-thirds innings on the mound, striking out three and walking two; while Craft struck out one and walked three. Sibille led the Bears 12-hit attack with a double and a single, while Burrat (one RBI), Elisar (two RBIs), and Perez all had two singles a piece. Autherment, Morin, Posey (one RBI), and Rachel all singled. PRCC finished with 11 hits, led by Abraham two doubles (two RBIs), while Comfort doubled and singled (two RBIs). Ormon (two RBIs), Williams (one RBI), and Lewallen (one RBI) had two base hits a piece; while Smith singled (one RBI). The Bears committed five errors in the game to the Wildcats none. The Wildcats travel to MACJC non-division foe Mississippi Delta in Moorhead Tuesday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.